Naveen Patnaik Becomes BJD President For 7th Time

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday became president of ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for seventh consecutive time unopposed.

Party’s returning officer and BJD leader Pratap Keshari Deb made the formal announcement at the party headquarters here.

“As no one filed nomination paper except Patnaik, he was elected unopposed as the president of BJD,” Pratap Keshari Deb said.

Patnaik is the founder president of the BJD, which came into being after the death of Biju Patnaik in 1997.
Besides, names of 81 state executive members were also announced. The party’s organisational elections, a triennial affair, saw 33 new faces as members of the council.

“I thank all the BJD workers for their support,” Naveen said after the formal announcement.

He said the regional party had emerged strong political party in the state and national level as well due to the support of the party leaders.

He said the importance of BJD has increased in national politics.

Notably, the organisational polls of BJD were held in five phases. The party had appointed district returning officers (DROs) for 32 organisational districts in December last year to start the process for party polls.

However, the election for three organisational districts Sambalpur, Bolangir and Ganjam could not be held due to internal wrangling within the party.